Andy Pettitte to play for Yankees in ‘08
Andy Pettitte, who contemplated retirement this winter, has told his good friends, a few former Astros teammates and some current Yankees teammates that he will return to the Bronx for the 2008 season.
Through people close to Pettitte, the Chronicle has learned that the veteran lefthander has told family members and teammates that he has decided to return to the Yankees in 2008.
Last month Pettitte declined his $16 million player option for 2008 because he wasn’t ready to commit to another season. But Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner told Pettitte they would wait for him until February, if necessary, so he could take his time to make a decision.
That wait is over, and the Yankees have been informed of the decision by Pettitte’s agent, Randy Hendricks.
When reached by telephone this morning, Hendricks, who was in route to Nashville for the start of baseball’s winter meetings today, confirmed that he has advised the Yankees that Pettitte will play for them in 2008.
“Many teammates have called urging Andy to return as well as manager Joe Girardi,” Hendricks said. “It’s well known that the Yankees have publicly stated that they were ready for Andy when Andy was ready.”
Pettitte, who was 15-9 with a 4.05 ERA in 2007, played the first nine years of his career with the Yankees, winning four World Series titles while becoming the all-time leader in postseason victories by a lefthander. After those nine years in the Bronx, he played three seasons with his hometown Astros from 2004 through 2006, helping the Astros reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history in 2005.
The Astros offered Pettitte a one-year, $12 million deal last winter and then proceeded with other pitching plans when informed he’d return for $14 million. To replace Pettitte’s spot in the rotation, the Astros ultimately made the ill-fated trade for injured righthander Jason Jennings, giving up Willy Taveras, Jason Hirsh and Taylor Buchholz in arguably one of the worst trades in franchise history.
Pettitte ultimately was lured back to the Yankees last winter with a one-year, $16 million contract and a player option for another year at $16 million.
The two-time All-Star is 201-113 with a 3.83 ERA over his 13-year career and 18-7 with a 3.97 over 35 postseason games.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
Email This Post